What is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act?

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA, restricts telemarketers and robo-dialers from bothering people over the phone. It requires businesses that work with telemarketers to set up internal do-not-call lists, and it says that no company can robocall a cell phone unless the cell phone’s owner has given his or her consent first.

Robocalls: How Do They Work?

A robocall is an automated phone call or one that contains a pre-recorded message. If a computer dials the phone, it’s a robocall; if there’s a recorded message on the other end when you pick up, it’s a robocall.

If you haven’t told a company in writing that it’s okay if they robocall you, these types of calls are against the law.

What if a Company Robocalls You?

A company that’s following the law will have gotten your consent before robocalling you, and they’ll stop if you ask them to. (Under the TCPA, companies have to provide an automated, interactive opt-out option at the beginning of every robocall. That means they must say something like, “Press 1 to be excluded from these types of calls.”) Companies are also required to provide you with a toll-free callback number you can use to put yourself on their do-not-call list.

Some nonprofits, as well as some organizations that make non-sales calls, can still call you under the TCPA. Organizations that are held to the law’s requirements include:

Debt collectors

Lenders

Finance companies

Student loan companies

Retailers

Banks

Check-cashing companies

Credit card companies

Companies that claim you have won a contest or a sweepstakes

Not all companies making sales calls or attempting to collect debts follow the rules, though. Some can seem downright aggressive with the calls or call you in the middle of the night – and these calls can be incredibly disrupting.

If a company robocalls you when you’ve asked them not to, or when you haven’t given your written permission for them to do so, you might be able to sue them.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act actually allows consumers to seek up to $500 per illegal robocall – and if those illegal robocalls were made willfully, consumers can seek up to $1,500 per call.

Do You Need to Talk to a Robocall Lawyer in Glendale?

If you’re receiving harassing, disruptive robocalls from a company that you did not give your consent to, you may want to talk to a robocall lawyer working in Glendale and Los Angeles.

We may be able to help you.

Call 818-659-8331 or use our toll-free number, 800-774-4163, for a free consultation. We may be able to help you recover financial damages under the TCPA.